Probation

When I first got my contract several months ago, I was a bit shocked to see I would have a six month probation period. Six months!! That was a lot. In the Netherlands I had only had a month and I nearly didn't make it through that month! But, I felt that moaning about the probation period might just diminish my chances of actually getting the job, so I signed and moved to Norway.

Now, during my six month probation I will have two evalution chats. The first one was today with the personel manager. She is new, thought my last name was my first name (?) and we talked for about half an hour. I think. She asked me how I was doing and whether I was enjoying myself. Whether I had any troubles with the routes or the general driving. And how long I was thinking of staying. I told her about France, my cats and yes, I had knitted my hat myself. 

In another few months I will have another chat. Then it will be with my team leader. And in May, if things go well, my probation period will be over and I get to stay until I decide I don't want to stay any longer. Or until I retire. Which can be anytime after 67, which is the official age, but I have several colleagues who are over 70 now.

Anyway. I get to stay. For now. And I trust myself enough I will be able to stay come May. 

Eleven

Warning: very long post!!!

Everybody who moves to another country will know: life isn't as picturesque as it shows you in the folders. Read the blogs of previous emigrants/immigrants and you can read some true horror stories. Especially by those who fell for the brochure and didn't look any further. 

I started thinking about emigrating from the Netherlands about 8 years ago I think. I told my family, I told my friends, I told my colleagues. I wanted to move to Canada. Visiting a emigration fair in the Netherlands, I soon realised moving to Canada didn't just have hooks and eyes (Dutch expression), it had a whole pack sloth of bears walking in the road. Firstly of course that debt I was carrying. So, I got rid of the debt. Visited more emigration fairs. Started reading blogs of other wannabes and have-dones. And probably put my life on hold a bit in the Netherlands. 

Along the road in Canada's Badlands

I visited Canada. Found it to be a great and welcoming country. Loved the Badlands, didn't care so much for the Rocky Mountains, tried to find work. It was impossible. The job I wanted as a busdriver was a no-go from the start, so I had to change my career. Hotel receptionist. Which I had done for a few months a lifetime ago. Again it proved to be impossible. The only places where they would hire me, were places where the ratio men to women was about 95 to 5. Odds even I found too much. 

I changed my view from Canada to Norway. Realised I needed to learn the language and got myself an English-Norwegian course. Realised I needed to learn the language properly and took a 4 day intensive class. Visited Norway. Got a job offer, which I turned down. Continued learning Norwegian with another 4 day intensive class. Went to Norway again and had a job interview. Three months later and here I am: living the life in Norway. 

I miss him!

I live a mundane life. I drive a bus for a living, live in a tiny apartment facing North, don't have the love of my life around me (he is living the life of a God in the Pepperfly household) and basically my life isn't that much different from my life in the Netherlands. So, why did I do it?

I had that question a lot. Before moving especially, but even now the question is quite often: why? Why did I pack up everything, leave family and friends behind and move to another country. Where it's cold. And dark. And this doesn't just refer to the weather. According to some the people are cold and dark as well!

Well.... I wanted a change. Simple as that. A change. And yes, I know I could have had a change in the Netherlands. But I wanted something more than just a simple move in the Netherlands. A challenge perhaps. Something that would test my abilities. And moving here has certainly proved to be a change, a challenge and even a test to my abilities!

On my way to a new life

From day one I have refused to speak English. Norwegian only. Even if the Norwegian they speak here is completely different from the Norwegian I learnt in class! If I get invited to anything, I will go. I have become sort of a yes-person. With some exceptions, but I will do most. I have joined a club. Granted, not much talking goes on apart from the score calling during a game, but between games we get to chat a little. 

So, was it what I had expected it to be? Honestly? I don't know. I didn't really know what to expect when I first arrived. Well, some hunky sort of person picking me up from the airport telling me that I was the love of his life would have been nice, but even I know that was more wishful thinking than anything else. And I guess that if it would have happened, I would have run a mil (10 km/6 miles)! Me being quite a chicken at times!! 

The (first) union meeting

There were a few things I did know beforehand. I knew it was going to be hard to meet people. As a nation they are quite known for their coldness towards others. Turns out: complete nonsense. They are no colder than any other nation. As a matter of fact, they have been nothing but friendly and kind towards me. Asking me out, explaining stuff to me and all that. Yes of course there are Norwegians that are 'cold' towards me. There are hordes of Dutch who are 'cold' towards me! No difference there!!

I also knew Norway was expensive. Which it is. Viewed from a Dutch point anyway. Food is about double what I would pay in the Netherlands and there isn't always the choice I would like. Then again, my wages are a lot higher here as well and in the end I fork out about the same percentage as the Dutch on food. And I knew Norway was going to be cold and Haugesund was going to be wet. Well, apart from the week when my sister was here, the weather has been quite good: some snow, but mainly just cold. And bright and sunny. It might change of course and it probably will. But I didn't move to Norway because I wanted temperatures over 25 degrees for the rest of my life. I should have moved to Africa in that case...

Where to go?

Will I stay long? I don't know. Right now I am only eleven weeks into my new adventure. It's way too early to tell whether I will be here by the time I retire or whether I will move on again in a few years time. I like it here. I think I could have a great life here. It depends a lot on the job, my personal life and a lot of other little things that make up a life. But, I will keep you posted!

The Irish

Photo taken a few weeks ago

When driving a bus, you get to meet so many people. People who seem to have trouble to answer the simple 'hi' I greet everybody with (she managed on my third try). People who say they are children and so clearly aren't (the one person I checked today: was a child). People who just put money on the pay table and expect me to read their minds (I failed that class at witch school). People who chat and expect me to answer. 

Today I had a man on the bus. He seemed to be nice. He carried some bags and sat in the front of the bus. And he chatted to me. About how Kristiansand (in the South of the country) was very racist. How Haugesund is very friendly and family-like. He asked me if I was from Haugesund. Which I am not. The minute I told him I was from the Netherlands he started raving about Ajax. About it being the best team in the world. How they were going to beat Manchester United. Or Juventus. 

He went on about ice-skating. How the Dutch are the best. Like Sven Kramer, who always seems to win. And then he went on to say that Irish food was so much like Dutch food. Well, either he has never been to Ireland, or he thinks we eat the way the Irish eat (he had been to Schiphol: he was raving about the cheap souvenirs). Cauliflower, broccoli and carrots with nearly every meal. After I told him that the Dutch don't eat the same type of food in general, he told me our tastes in music were the same!

Anyway, he got off, wished me a good night and I realised there isn't that much difference between the Dutch and the Norwegians. Both nations have some people who are a bullet short of a fully loaded biathlon gun. Just so you know!

Forty-eight

My maternal grandmother

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
Yes, I am named after my maternal grandmother. At least our full names are the same. Mara I picked out all by myself!
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
Really, honestly cried and not about a film or a book? That was in November last year when my friend Pepperfly picked up Wuppie and Linette. I was heartbroken.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Yes, I like my handwritings (plural, I can write in different ways).
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Katenspek, which they only sell in the Netherlands and not in Norway. It's some sort of bacon, but it's not.

My goddaughter. She is going to be 18 this year!

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
I have a goddaughter! And a nephew, two nieces, a sugardaughter and a sugarson. Oh, and two monsters. But no children of my own.
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Well, what a stupid question: of course! Who wouldn't want to be friends with me???
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
Ehm, see question 6
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yes
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
Yes, but I would need a lot of nerve. Oh, and some weight loss!
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Honey puffs or similar. Even though I don't like honey on its own!
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Of course I do! I don't want to ruin my shoes. They were expensive enough.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
Yes

No cinnamon here. And NO, I didn't eat all four!

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Cinnamon
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
How they look. Anybody saying anything different is blind.
15. RED OR PINK?
Pink
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
What is this? A job interview? But, I can be quite a snob. But only because other people are so often inferior!

How can you not miss this?

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
Wuppie and Linette. My family and friends. My former colleagues.
18. WHAT IS THE TECHNIQUE THAT YOU NEED TO WORK ON THE MOST?
How to knit socks. It annoys me that I can knit a clown and a toothbrush, but cannot knit a sock!
19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
I am wearing grey woollen slipper things. So warm and cosy
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
Vanilla cream, which I hoped would be like custard. It wasn't! On with the search...

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
NRK P1, a Norwegian radio station which according to the interview taught me Norwegian. It didn't, but it certainly helped a great deal. They have some really great music on right now.
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Why would I want to be a crayon? But, orange would be nice.
23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Hot apple pie with vanilla sauce. Although there are some men around that I will sniff at because they smell so nice!
24. HOW IMPORTANT ARE YOUR POLITICAL VIEWS TO YOU?
Very, even if I hardly ever express them out loud.
25. MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY OR BEACH HOUSE?
Beach house!!! There is no view in the mountains.
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Biathlon. And hurling.

27. HAIR COLOR?
Blonde
28. EYE COLOR?
Blue. Although I have been told I have grey eyes.
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
No
30. FAVORITE FOOD?
My birthday food was always fried potatoes, cauliflower with sauce (the proper one with cornflour) and a sausage.
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy endings
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
The Help. I was a bit worried about how it would be, since I had read the book, but it was a wonderful adaptation which stayed very close to the book.
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
White

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Well, I moved to Norway, so winter?
35. FAVORITE DESSERT?
Pavlova
36. STRENGTH TRAINING OR CARDIO?
Hahahahaha. You're joking right??
37. COMPUTER OR TELEVISION?
Both
38. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
The Diaries of Roald Amundsen (the bloke who got to the South Pole first). In Norwegian/Danish
39. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
Haven't got a mouse pad
40. FAVORITE SOUND?
Children in a fit of laughter and purring cats
41. FAVORITE GENRE OF MUSIC?
I don't really have a favourite genre. I like John Grant, Dolly Parton, Moby, eighties music, sixties music, American songbook. Oh, and Christmas music of course.

Canadian bar

42. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Canada
43. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
Well, I do have a knack for finding trees that happen to cross the road right as I drive past! Norwegian trees are very well behaved though.
44. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
At home (as opposed to the hospital) in the Netherlands
45. WHERE ARE YOU LIVING NOW?
Norway
46. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR HOUSE?
Not my house, but it is white

This was never my car, unfortunately!

47. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR CAR?
I don't have a car either, but I drive a bus for a living and they are all green
48. DO YOU LIKE ANSWERING 48 QUESTIONS?
Hated it! Never again! Unless there are good questions of course!!

Another week gone by

Taken during my walk a few weeks ago

It's been a bit quiet from me the last few days. Mainly because nothing seems to be happening. Yes, I am working. Yes, I went to play badminton (pulled a muscle in my leg, still won though). Yes, my bedroom is still a balmy 5 degrees, I am getting used to it though. 

There are a few things coming up though. When I got my contract to work for Tide Buss, it stated that I have a six month probation period. Which in my eyes seems a long time, but what do I know? Anyway, on Wednesday I will have a evaluation of the first few months. How do I like it, how I fit in, how I work, how I whatever. An evaluation. 

Then on Saturday something very exciting. I will go to view a little place. I still have to work out the details of how to actually get there, but that will sort itself. The little place is a small house with two bedrooms close to but not in Haugesund. In other words: if I get it, I will need a car to get to work. Even if the house is only 20 meters from the busstop! But, since it is quite cheap (same rent as here, electricity and tv/internet NOT included) there are plenty of others who want it too! Ah well, I will just try and hope and cross everything I have to cross!

There's a lot of this around right now
Very beautiful!

Oh, I nearly forgot. Yesterday I was off and did a little more sightseeing. I took my camera along, but in the end all I photographed was the piece of cake I had. I did take a bus to another shopping center though and there I found a true treasure trove. Most importantly a shop where they sell really nice clothes for the 'curvy ladies'! I think I might have to go there sometime soon, just to get something pretty to wear as opposed to the stuff I have been wearing lately. Not to say that that stuff is ugly or something, but it's not too pretty either. Plus I found a bookshop where they actually had an English book I wanted. Plus some really great kitchen stores. Heaven! I think I may have found my new favourite shopping center!

I will be signing off now. Tomorrow morning I have to work again bright and early, so better get some shut-eye!

Back to school

Fortunately no school uniform for me!

There is something I feel very strongly about. It annoyed me when I lived in the Netherlands, it annoys me over here. When you move to another country to work, I feel you should talk the language. Especially if you will be working with the host nationals. And if you know before the move that you will be moving, you should learn the language before you're moving. No ifs or buts or anythings about it. (This doesn't apply to refugees)

So, before I made my way over to Norway, I learnt the language. Granted, it wasn't university level, but then again, I am not on university level in the Netherlands either! And from day one I decided the best way forward was to speak Norwegian. At times I didn't have a clue what people were talking about and I would have to ask again and again, but over the last two months I have made great progress. 

And then I got the question whether I would like to go to Norwegian class again. Which I of course did. Because it will help me further along (besides, it's free: I think the boss is paying) and that can only be a good thing. This morning was the first lesson. There were several other people there as well: a Moroccan woman who had lived in Norway for 22 years, an Afghani man who had lived in Norway for a long time too, a Slovakian man: same thing again. And there was us: six people from the same company. Four Polish, one Icelandic and one Dutch (ie me). 

The first lesson was mainly used to introduce ourselves, do a little writing and a little talking/reading aloud. And at the end of the lesson I was told that if I proved to be as good as it looked like I was, I might have to move to a different class. One where the majority of people are Norwegians looking to refresh their grammar skills. Exciting!! Next week there will not be a class (due to the winter holiday) and then it will run the rest of the winter and spring and then again in the autumn. I will be busy!

Cruising along

And here I was thinking Irish roads were narrow!

I have been driving for little under a month now and am enjoying it a great deal. I have a shift sheet, which means I am on a six week rota: every week, the rota starts anew and I do the same shifts again. Within that rota I have morning, evening and day shifts, although the latter aren't that common. The day shifts are usually very early morning and the evening shifts finish late at night. Some shifts I will do for several days in a row, other shifts are a one off during the six week period.

Last week and this week I have a shift that starts in a tiny hamlet. I call it that and I think I may be a tiny bit optimistic in using that word! From that hamlet I drive to another hamlet. I do all that in the dark. In all types of weather! On narrow roads. Very narrow roads. A road with a bus on it. And that's it! No more room for anything else!! 

If you don't believe it, check out the following address on google maps: Stakkestadvegen 231, Tysvær, Rogaland, Norway and use streetview! Imagine me, in my bus, on that road, in the dark, while it's raining or snowing and a bit pressed for time! Oh, and with kids on board!! A good thing about those roads is that the locals know about the bus. So, they won't go out in their cars until they have seen the bus pass. Because I sure as Huckleberry am not going to back down that road!

Teddy

Brom

So, I bet you are wondering what I am doing on those nights I don't have to work. When there are no union or 'welfare' meetings and I won't play badminton. Well, the last few weeks I have been sewing. I never sewed much while living in the Netherlands, but I did start here. I even had to buy myself a fingerhat (otherwise known as a thimble), because I was making holes in my finger!

Now, I haven't been sewing just anything. I have actually been repairing my first love. I have had that love since I was about two or three and have written about him before. You can read about him here! He looked great when I got him. All new and orange, with two eyes and a nose and a tongue. However, over the years he got a few battle scars. Because of all the time I spent hugging him in bed, he was decidedly the worse for wear. 

I realised before coming to Norway that he needed a doctor. And I asked my mum to be said doctor. She found some fabric and patched him up. But it wasn't enough. Since there were several more areas that were very worn. Worn so thin, you could see his insides and sometimes that was all there was: his insides. So, I bought some orange fabric, unpicked my mum's work and set to work. First it was his face, which needed nearly a complete cover-up! Then his back, his arms, his feet, his tummy, his ear. And finally his tail needed fixing.

New and improved, albeit naked!

He is still a one eyed, noseless and tongueless teddy, but he is not spilling his guts anymore. Now he just needs clothes, because I felt that at this time of his life he doesn't need to walk around in a bikini anymore. I tried sewing something, but it looked so awful, I might resort to knitting. Just not a bikini!

Welfare

Most of our local lot back in the Netherlands

One thing that is vital if you're going to have some sort of social life in Norway, is to join stuff. I might not be the most union-minded person, but it is one way to a. meet people and b. talk and understand Norwegian. However, there are not only union meetings where I live. Yesterday there was a staff club meeting.

Now, if you remember in the Netherlands I organised the staff parties for our local lot. I was the chairwoman, vice-chairwoman, secretary, treasurer and member of the staff club. I booked the restaurants, the bowling lanes. I collected the money for weddings, births and deaths. It wasn't that hard. There were only five full-time drivers, a couple of part-time drivers and a handful of 0-hour drivers (ie drivers that could be called in if they were needed). They probably were glad they didn't have to organise anything and left everything to me. 

Over here however, it's a different matter. There are over 200 employees at this branch (four lots, but they are all thrown into the same club), which means there has to be a chairperson. And a vice chairperson. And a secretary. A treasurer. And some think-along members. And they can't all be the same person! 

There has to be a budget, plans for the coming year and everything has to be discussed by all the attendees. The budget was okayed, last year's was okayed, the incoming ideas had to be voted over and new board members had to be voted for. And after all that, there was dinner! A very nice dinner with lots of laughs and expensive wine (to be paid for by yourself, please thank you).

After dinner, a group of us went out!

Now, if you are wondering what the title means: it's the name of the staff club over here. It might be a very early 20th century name, but it seems to work well for them.

Now of course you're all wondering what this Velferd is organising, don't you? Well, every year there is a trip to Denmark. Then there is an autumn trip, perhaps a longer/more expensive summer trip. There might be smaller trips in the vicinity of Haugesund, of course the Christmas dinners (very big in Norway) and birthday gifts for those who reach 50, 60 or 70 (yes, we have several over 70 working now), wedding gifts and when someone dies, there will be flowers as well. Plus several things more that I might see and experience as the year unfolds.

Let them eat cake!

Another 'folly' by a French queen: small farm like buildings
so she could pretend to farm!

According to quite a few there was a French queen who said those exact words, when she was told that the peasants didn't have any (money for) bread. Of course she never did. It might have been brioche or something like it, but then again, she would never have said them in English! However, I am not talking about some French queen or other, but about my current employer. Because it could have been a tagline for them: Let them eat cake!

I have worked for Connexxion Tours in the Netherlands for over 13 years. And in that time I may have had about 10 pieces of cake. Mainly when there was someone who 'celebrated' having worked for the company for 25 years or so. Since my move to Norway though, I have eaten a lot of cake. In the week leading up to Christmas there was cake nearly every day. Sometimes three different ones on the same day!! Yesterday there was cake because two colleagues hadn't been sick for 3 months and had won travel vouchers. Today there was cake because a colleague had bought herself a new place. 

My own meringue cake. My absolute favourite!

There are probably loads of other reasons to think of to provide the drivers with cake. Sometimes by outside companies (like the Christmas cakes), other times by colleagues. And I have just realised that playing badminton isn't just a joy, it's a necessity! Otherwise I would be quite round in no time. 

By the way: the cakes here are really quite nice. So far I have had Queen's cake (with meringue, mmmmm), sour milk cake, some sort of cream cake and several more. Yummy...